Integrated psychological care in head and neck cancer: Views from health care providers, patients, and supports. (28th November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jesse, Michelle T.; Ryan, Michael E.; Eshelman, Anne; Ghanem, Tamer; Williams, Amy M.; Miller‐Matero, Lisa R.; Yaremchuk, Kathleen
• Is Part Of: Laryngoscope. Volume 125:Number 6(2015:Jun.)
• Page Start: 1345
• Page End: 1351
• Publication Date: 2014-11-28
• Subjects: Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; 617.51005
• DOI: 10.1002/lary.25059
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0023-852X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="lary25059-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives/Hypothesis</title> <p>An evaluation by head‐and‐neck cancer (HNC) staff, patients, and patient support feedback regarding integrated psychological care and perceived benefit based on patient characteristics.</p> </sec> <sec id="lary25059-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Study Design</title> <p>Cross‐sectional survey of HNC staff, patients, and their primary supports; and retrospective chart review of psychiatric characteristics of HNC patients.</p> </sec> <sec id="lary25059-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>HNC staff, patients (who were evaluated by the integrated psychologist), and their primary supports were given questionnaires on their perception of benefit of including a psychologist in the evaluation and treatment of HNC patients. Also, a retrospective chart review on patients who were psychiatrically evaluated by the psychologist on sociodemographics and psychiatric characteristics.</p> </sec> <sec id="lary25059-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Overall, integration of a psychologist was well received by patients, supports, and staff. Younger patients reported greater satisfaction with the availability of the psychologist than older patients (<italic>P</italic> = .04), and patients with reported psychiatric histories (diagnoses in remission) indicated more satisfaction with the psychologist in relation to managing distress than patients who denied psychiatric histories (<italic>P</italic> = .03); however, patients who were currently smoking tended to report lower satisfaction with the psychologist helping with distress than those who were past/never smokers (<italic>P</italic> = .06).</p> </sec> <sec id="lary25059-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Integrated psychological care has the potential to improve care provided for HNC patients.</p> </sec> <sec id="lary25059-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Level of Evidence</title> <p>Level 4. <italic>Laryngoscope</italic>, 125:1345–1351, 2015</p> </sec> </abstract>